Racing


Scoopies Leaving You Sprints Home in Delta Dash Stakes
Scoopies Leaving Your, under jockey Donald Watson, winning the 30,000 Delta Dash Stakes opening night at Delta Downs.

© Coady Photography
Scoopies Leaving You Sprints Home in Delta Dash Stakes

VINTON, LA—APRIL 21, 2017— The $30,000 Delta Dash Stakes was worth the wait on Friday night at Delta Downs as morning-line favorite Scoopies Leaving You prevailed to win on opening night.

The multiple stakes winner covered the 250-yards in 12.964 and earned a 98-speed index with Donald Watson aboard. The Kevin Broussard trainee is owned by Joel Galindo and was bred in Louisiana by Gerald Libersat.

Scoopies Leaving You is by Coronas Leaving You and is out of the stakes placed mare Ms Scoopies Toast, by Toast to Dash.

The accomplished 6-year-old boasts lifetime earnings of over $300,000 and 16 wins in 37 starts, including a win in the Mr Jess Perry Louisiana Downs Stakes (G3) in February, 2016. Scoopies Leaving You returned to run in the same race earlier this year, beaten just a neck to finish second.

Second-place finisher and post-time favorite First Fancy Prize, with John Hamilton aboard, broke on top and led until being nosed out at the wire by Scoopies Leaving You. The 4-year-old filly, by Pyc Paint Your Wagon and out of the Mr Jess Perry mare First Prize Fancy, is a full sister to stakes winner and 2014 All American Futurity (G1) qualifier Im A Fancy Pyc.

The winning connections of Scoopies Leaving You accept the Delta Dash Stakes trophy on Friday night at Delta Downs. © Coady Photography

First Fancy Prize is owned by Scott Jones, Monica Jones and Raymond Loup and is trained by Michael Taylor. Weetona Stanley and W. E. Smith bred the filly in Oklahoma. First Fancy Prize finished second in the 2015 Firecracker Futurity (G2) at Delta Downs.

Voncitas Game and Gilbert Ortiz completed the three-horse photo finish, a nose behind First Fancy Prize and a half a length ahead of the rest of the field. Only two one-thousandths of a second separated the second and third place runners, and each also earned a 98 speed index.

This marked Voncitas Game’s third appearance in the Delta Dash and his best performance in the race to date. The gelding finished third in the 2015 running and was eighth in last year’s Dash.

Voncitas Game is owned by Judith Ladner and trained by Edwin Ladner. Bred in Louisiana by Thomas Fontenot, the 6-year-old gelding is by Game Patriot, out of the Streakin Jewel mare Voncita.

Completing the field were Dash Dont Cheat, Royal Aztec, Rbd Jessaswingin, Mariachy King, Mps Shake Em N Style, Gt Divalicious and One Dimple.

Stakes action continues Saturday at Delta Downs with the $50,000 Open Me a Corona Stakes (RG2) for 3-year-olds and up.